A Dunfermline man said he feared being attacked and robbed when two plain-clothes policemen tried to stop his car.
Michael Henderson, 58, said he had no idea the two men were police officers, claiming: “I was in fear of my life”, when he appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
Henderson, of Fodbank View, denied that on October 9 2013, at that street, he drove a car dangerously and reversed at excessive speed, causing PC David Souter to take evasive action to avoid being struck, and drove forward at excessive speed, causing PC Dale Clark to take evasive action to avoid being struck.
After a trial, however, Sheriff Craig McSherry found demolition supervisor Henderson guilty, fining him £1,500 and disqualifying him from driving for a year.
The court heard the background to the incident was a drugs-related investigation and the two officers were in an unmarked vehicle near Henderson’s home.
The officers saw him arrive in his street, get out of his car, then get back in quickly and start to drive away.
PC Clark told the court warrant cards were shown as he and his colleague shouted at Henderson, telling him they were police officers, and he struck the window with his handcuffs.
PC Souter said he tried to get in the back door but all the doors were locked. He went to the rear of the vehicle but had to move out of the way to avoid being hit.
“It was clear he wasn’t going to stop,” said the officer, who claimed that Henderson “definitely” saw his warrant card before driving off.
Henderson said in evidence he had just arrived back when his partner phoned, asking for him to go for chips, and so he got back in his car.
He saw two men approach his car and he had to stop to avoid hitting them.
“They had no uniforms, they were in an unmarked car, no fluorescent jackets, no warrant cards. They were dressed casual.
“I didn’t know who they were. I thought somebody was going to beat me up or take the car. I had no idea what they were going to do. I was in fear of my life.”